A look back at North Korea

March 14, 2013 12:26 PM

1950: A United Nations soldier in uniform helps a wounded Canadian rifleman to an aid station behind the front lines during the Korean War.

Click through this slideshow to see a look back at North Korea.

1950: A United Nations soldier in uniform helps a wounded Canadian rifleman to an aid station behind the front lines during the Korean War.

Photo: Hulton Archive, Getty Images

Click through this slideshow to see a look back at North Korea.... Photo-4324609.58413 - GreenwichTime

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1950: U.S. Army Major Carroll Cooper showing signs of exhaustion after going w/o sleep for three days and three nights in very cold weather during pursuit of North Koreans though the gorges of the Yalu River.

1950: U.S. Army Major Carroll Cooper showing signs of exhaustion after going w/o sleep for three days and three nights in very cold weather during pursuit of North Koreans though the gorges of the Yalu River.

Photo: Hank Walker, Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

1950: U.S. Army Major Carroll Cooper showing signs of exhaustion... Photo-4324612.58413 - GreenwichTime

The battleship USS Missouri bombards Chongjin, North Korea, with her 16 inch guns during a mission to set out the lines of communication between the Northern and Southern parts of Korea during the Korean War. Chongjin is very close to the Soviet border and the Russian Naval base at Vladivostok. less

The battleship USS Missouri bombards Chongjin, North Korea, with her 16 inch guns during a mission to set out the lines of communication between the Northern and Southern parts of Korea during the Korean War. ... more

1953: North Korean prisoners of war leaving a prison camp on Koja island to be transported to Inchon under a recent armistice.

1953: North Korean prisoners of war leaving a prison camp on Koja island to be transported to Inchon under a recent armistice.

Photo: Central Press, Getty Images

1953: North Korean prisoners of war leaving a prison camp on Koja... Photo-4324611.58413 - GreenwichTime

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North Korean delegates and United Nations officers during negotiations to define the border between the two Koreas. Although these negotiations began in an atmosphere of defiance, they led to a answering of all the main questions except one: the Communists refused the principle, supported by the United Nations, according to which a war prisoner should not be returned to his army against his will. Negotiations were interrupted in October 1952 and were not started up again before April 1953. Perhaps the death of Joseph Stalin helped to re-open the dialogue. less

North Korean delegates and United Nations officers during negotiations to define the border between the two Koreas. Although these negotiations began in an atmosphere of defiance, they led to a answering of all ... more

A young woman in uniform applying eye-liner, North Korea, February 1973.

A young woman in uniform applying eye-liner, North Korea, February 1973.

Photo: John Bulmer, Getty Images

A young woman in uniform applying eye-liner, North Korea, February... Photo-4324638.58413 - GreenwichTime

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In this photo released by Korean Central News Agency via Korean News Service on September 30, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il (C, front row) and the Workers' Party of Korea executives and delegates pose for photographs at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korean leader Kim was re-appointed as the party's secretary general and has made a military general of Kim Jong-Un, believed to be his third son. less

In this photo released by Korean Central News Agency via Korean News Service on September 30, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il (C, front row) and the Workers' Party of Korea executives and delegates pose for ... more

Steps leading up a hill to a statue of North Korean Communist leader Kim Il-sung, North Korea, February 1973.

Steps leading up a hill to a statue of North Korean Communist leader Kim Il-sung, North Korea, February 1973.

Photo: John Bulmer, Getty Images

Steps leading up a hill to a statue of North Korean Communist... Photo-4324649.58413 - GreenwichTime

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Three teenage girls viewing a painting in a museum in North Korea, February 1973.

Three teenage girls viewing a painting in a museum in North Korea, February 1973.

Photo: John Bulmer, Getty Images

Three teenage girls viewing a painting in a museum in North Korea,... Photo-4324652.58413 - GreenwichTime

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A group of North Korean women marching in uniform, North Korea, February 1973.

A group of North Korean women marching in uniform, North Korea, February 1973.

Photo: John Bulmer, Getty Images

A group of North Korean women marching in uniform, North Korea,... Photo-4324648.58413 - GreenwichTime

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Visitors at the Mansudae Grand Monument, which depicts the North Korean revolutionary struggle, Pyongyang, North Korea, February 1973.

Visitors at the Mansudae Grand Monument, which depicts the North Korean revolutionary struggle, Pyongyang, North Korea, February 1973.

Photo: John Bulmer, Getty Images

Visitors at the Mansudae Grand Monument, which depicts the North... Photo-4324646.58413 - GreenwichTime

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Two men walking past a statue of North Korean Communist leader Kim Il-sung with a group of children, North Korea, February 1973.

Two men walking past a statue of North Korean Communist leader Kim Il-sung with a group of children, North Korea, February 1973.

Photo: John Bulmer, Getty Images

Two men walking past a statue of North Korean Communist leader Kim... Photo-4324647.58413 - GreenwichTime

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A guide (facing camera) with a group of visitors to the Mansudae Grand Monument, which depicts the North Korean revolutionary struggle, Pyongyang, North Korea, February 1973.

A guide (facing camera) with a group of visitors to the Mansudae Grand Monument, which depicts the North Korean revolutionary struggle, Pyongyang, North Korea, February 1973.

Photo: John Bulmer, Getty Images

A guide (facing camera) with a group of visitors to the Mansudae... Photo-4324645.58413 - GreenwichTime

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A group of dancers performing in uniform, North Korea, February 1973.

A group of dancers performing in uniform, North Korea, February 1973.

Photo: John Bulmer, Getty Images

A group of dancers performing in uniform, North Korea, February 1973. Photo-4324640.58413 - GreenwichTime

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Lt. Col. Sung Jong-Chol of the North Korean army guides visitors in front of a picture of the late leader Kim Il-Sung on the North's side of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) at Panmunjom, 27 March 2005. The division of the Korean peninsula between the communist north and the capitalist south led to the 1950-53 Korean War with the two sides still technically at war ever since an armistice was signed in 1953 dividing the two Koreas. less

Lt. Col. Sung Jong-Chol of the North Korean army guides visitors in front of a picture of the late leader Kim Il-Sung on the North's side of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) at Panmunjom, 27 March 2005. The ... more

South Korean protestors hold portraits of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il and his son Kim Jong-Un and shout slogans at a rally opposing recent political decsions made by North Korea's ruling party on October 1, 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. The protest comes amidst fresh talks between the the two Koreas aimed at reuniting families seperated during conflict 60 years ago. North Korean leader Kim has recently been re-appointed as the party's secretary general and has made a military general of Kim Jong-Un, believed to be his third son. less

South Korean protestors hold portraits of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il and his son Kim Jong-Un and shout slogans at a rally opposing recent political decsions made by North Korea's ruling party on October ... more

A North Korean soldier stands guard as the border town reopens following North Korea's attack on Yeonpyeong in late November, on December 8, 2010 in Panmunjom, South Korea. Dozens of artillery shells fired by North Korea struck the South Korean Island of Yeonpyeong on November 23, resulting in four deaths and further injuries, prompting return fire from South Korean troops. South Korea's new defense minister Kim Kwan-jin took office on December 4, vowing South Korea would launch air strikes on North Korea in the event of another attack. less

A North Korean soldier stands guard as the border town reopens following North Korea's attack on Yeonpyeong in late November, on December 8, 2010 in Panmunjom, South Korea. Dozens of artillery shells fired by ... more

Photo: Chung Sung-Jun, Getty Images

A North Korean soldier stands guard as the border town reopens... Photo-4324626.58413 - GreenwichTime

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South Korean war veterans protest during an anti-North Korea rally on November 30, 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. South Korean and American military forces began war games exercises Sunday as tensions between the two Koreas remain high following an artillery exchange on the disputed island of Yeonpyeong on November 24. less

South Korean war veterans protest during an anti-North Korea rally on November 30, 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. South Korean and American military forces began war games exercises Sunday as tensions between the ... more

Photo: Chung Sung-Jun, Getty Images

South Korean war veterans protest during an anti-North Korea rally... Photo-4324625.58413 - GreenwichTime

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This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on July 23, 2011 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, right, and his son, Kim Jong-Un, left, visiting the Taedonggang Combined Fruit Farm and the newly built Taedonggang Combined Fruit Processing Factory at the suburb of Pyongyang. less

This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on July 23, 2011 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, right, and his son, Kim Jong-Un, left, visiting the Taedonggang ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean... Photo-4324656.58413 - GreenwichTime

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South Korean veterans and conservative activists salute the national flag during an anti-North Korea rally in Seoul on November 18, 2011, to mark the first anniversary of North Korea's artillery attack on the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong last November. South Korea's defense chief on November 18 pledged strong revenge for any provocations by North Korea in an order marking the anniversary of the attack on November 23. less

South Korean veterans and conservative activists salute the national flag during an anti-North Korea rally in Seoul on November 18, 2011, to mark the first anniversary of North Korea's artillery attack on the ... more

North Korean soldiers look in from outside the UN Command Military Armistice Commission meeting room as newly appointed commander General James Thurman (not in picture), commander of the United Nations Command (UNC), Combined Forces Command (CFC), and United States Forces Korea (USFK) visit to the border village of Panmunjom on July 15, 2011 in Panmunjom, South Korea. Thurman was appointed on Thursday as the commander of 28,500 American troops in South Korea in his capacity as commander of United States Forces Korea. less

North Korean soldiers look in from outside the UN Command Military Armistice Commission meeting room as newly appointed commander General James Thurman (not in picture), commander of the United Nations Command ... more

A general view of downtown on April 3, 2011 in Pyongyang, North Korea. Pyongyang is the capital city of North Korea and the population is about 2,500,000.

A general view of downtown on April 3, 2011 in Pyongyang, North Korea. Pyongyang is the capital city of North Korea and the population is about 2,500,000.

Photo: Feng Li, Getty Images

A general view of downtown on April 3, 2011 in Pyongyang, North... Photo-4324630.58413 - GreenwichTime

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North Korean women work at the assembly line of the factory of South Korean Watch company Romanson at the Kaesong industrial complex on May 22, 2007 in Kaesong, North Korea. 300 South Korean companies, mostly labour-intensive manufacturers, are waiting to build their factories on the site by the end of 2007, just 10 km north of the world's most heavily fortified border bisecting the two Koreas. They plan to hire more than 100,000 North Koreans to make products ranging from shoes and watches, clothes, according to officials from Kaesong industrial complex. About 2,000 South Korean companies have applied to move their production facilities into the Kaesong complex, where they can pay only one-thirtieth of the monthly wage per worker they pay at home or half the pay even in China. less

North Korean women work at the assembly line of the factory of South Korean Watch company Romanson at the Kaesong industrial complex on May 22, 2007 in Kaesong, North Korea. 300 South Korean companies, mostly ... more

Photo: Chung Sung-Jun, Getty Images

North Korean women work at the assembly line of the factory of... Photo-4324616.58413 - GreenwichTime

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In this image provided by a local resident, Smoke rises from South Korea's Yeonpyeong island near the border against North Korea on November 23, 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. Dozens of artillery shells fired by North Korea hit the South Korean Island of Yeonpyeong reportedly causing injuries and prompting return fire from South Korean forces. The incident comes amid tensions over North Korea's nuclear program and the announcement of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's youngest son as his successor. less

In this image provided by a local resident, Smoke rises from South Korea's Yeonpyeong island near the border against North Korea on November 23, 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. Dozens of artillery shells fired by ... more

Photo: Getty Images

In this image provided by a local resident, Smoke rises from South... Photo-4324624.58413 - GreenwichTime

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Commuters move by escalator at Puhung Subway station situated more than 100M below the surface, it is also an atomic shelter, on April 2, 2011 in Pyongyang, North Korea. Pyongyang is the capital city of North Korea and the population is about 2,500,000. less

Commuters move by escalator at Puhung Subway station situated more than 100M below the surface, it is also an atomic shelter, on April 2, 2011 in Pyongyang, North Korea. Pyongyang is the capital city of North ... more

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton looks toward North Korea during a visit to observation post Ouellette at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), on July 21, 2010 in Panmunjon, South Korea. The DMZ is a strip of land that divides North and South Korea at the 38th parallel. Sixty years ago on June 25, 1950, North Korean forces crossed the parallel and invaded South Korea starting the Korean War. less

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton looks toward North Korea during a visit to observation post Ouellette at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), on July 21, 2010 in Panmunjon, South Korea. The DMZ is a strip of land ... more

A pin depicting Kim Il Sung, founder of North Korea is attached to the skirt of a teacher in a primary school on April 2, 2011 in Pyongyang, North Korea. Pyongyang is the capital city of North Korea and the population is about 2,500,000. less

A pin depicting Kim Il Sung, founder of North Korea is attached to the skirt of a teacher in a primary school on April 2, 2011 in Pyongyang, North Korea. Pyongyang is the capital city of North Korea and the ... more

North Korean children learn to use the computer in a primary school on April 2, 2011 in Pyongyang, North Korea. Pyongyang is the capital city of North Korea and the population is about 2,500,000.

North Korean children learn to use the computer in a primary school on April 2, 2011 in Pyongyang, North Korea. Pyongyang is the capital city of North Korea and the population is about 2,500,000.

Photo: Feng Li, Getty Images

North Korean children learn to use the computer in a primary school... Photo-4324628.58413 - GreenwichTime

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A soldier stands guard outside the Kim-Il-Sung Mausoleum at the Kumusan Memorial Palace on April 3, 2011 in Pyongyang, North Korea. Pyongyang is the capital city of North Korea and the population is about 2,500,000. less

A soldier stands guard outside the Kim-Il-Sung Mausoleum at the Kumusan Memorial Palace on April 3, 2011 in Pyongyang, North Korea. Pyongyang is the capital city of North Korea and the population is about ... more

North Korean children perform in a primary school on April 2, 2011 in Pyongyang, North Korea. Pyongyang is the capital city of North Korea and the population is about 2,500,000.

North Korean children perform in a primary school on April 2, 2011 in Pyongyang, North Korea. Pyongyang is the capital city of North Korea and the population is about 2,500,000.

Photo: Feng Li, Getty Images

North Korean children perform in a primary school on April 2, 2011... Photo-4324627.58413 - GreenwichTime

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North Koreans in a bus bid farewell to their South Korean relatives before they return to their home after a family reunion after being separated for 60 years following the North Korean War on November 1, 2010 in Mount Kumgang, North Korea. Red Cross officials from the two Koreas exchanged lists of families to be reunited, 100 names each, at a checkpoint in the border town of Kaesong in North Korea. less

North Koreans in a bus bid farewell to their South Korean relatives before they return to their home after a family reunion after being separated for 60 years following the North Korean War on November 1, 2010 ... more

Photo: Pool, Getty Images

North Koreans in a bus bid farewell to their South Korean relatives... Photo-4324623.58413 - GreenwichTime

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North Korean soldiers look at U.S. soldiers during the 57th anniversary of signing the ceasefire agreement ceremony on July 27, 2010 in Panmunjom, South Korea. United States and South Korea are operating a joint military exercise while marking 57th anniversary of signing the ceasefire agreement of Korean War between 1950 to 1953. The exercise, first joint drill after the sinking of South Korean warship in March 2010, is taking place for four days, and has drawn condemnation from Pyongyang. less

North Korean soldiers look at U.S. soldiers during the 57th anniversary of signing the ceasefire agreement ceremony on July 27, 2010 in Panmunjom, South Korea. United States and South Korea are operating a ... more

Photo: Pool, Getty Images

North Korean soldiers look at U.S. soldiers during the 57th... Photo-4324619.58413 - GreenwichTime

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South Koreans rush out into the street during a drill against possible threats from North Korea at the Marriott hotel on May 28, 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. The exercise is intended to prepare the South Korean defense force for any potential action from North Korea and preparation for possible terrorist attacks during the upcoming G-20 Finance Minister and Central Bank Governors Meeting to be held in Busan in June, this year. less

South Koreans rush out into the street during a drill against possible threats from North Korea at the Marriott hotel on May 28, 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. The exercise is intended to prepare the South Korean ... more

Photo: Chung Sung-Jun, Getty Images

South Koreans rush out into the street during a drill against... Photo-4324617.58413 - GreenwichTime

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South Korean Catholic nuns pray for unification of communist North Korea and capitalist South Korea at Chogye Buddhist Temple 12 August in Seoul. Monks, nuns and Protestants later walked together to Myongdong Catholic Cathedral. The prayer cards show a map of Korea with no demilitarized zone. less

South Korean Catholic nuns pray for unification of communist North Korea and capitalist South Korea at Chogye Buddhist Temple 12 August in Seoul. Monks, nuns and Protestants later walked together to Myongdong ... more

This picture, taken by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on January 29, 2013 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un addressing the Fourth Conference of Cell Secretaries of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang. less

This picture, taken by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on January 29, 2013 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un addressing the Fourth Conference of Cell Secretaries of the Workers' ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

This picture, taken by North Korea's official Korean Central... Photo-4324658.58413 - GreenwichTime